Boaters operating in deep water often desire a platform at the waterline from which such operations as scuba diving and swimming can take place. Such a platform should be removable and capable of being collapsed and stored in a small space when not in use. And since the freeboard and contour of the hull varies from boat to boat, the platform's supporting structure should be adjustable to permit the platform to lie securely at the waterline despite the boat's freeboard or the contour of its hull.
Various devices have been proposed for attachment to the side of a boat in order to facilitate a person and his gear to get into and out of the water. See, for example, the devices shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,123 and 3,892,290.
However, all known prior art devices fail to provide what the scuba divers and swimmers most require, namely, an extended stable driving platform at the waterline. The platform should be strong enough and large enough to accommodate two sitting or standing swimmers or one scuba diver and his gear. The platform's supporting structure should be sufficiently adjustable so that the platform is secured at or slightly above the waterline despite the boat's freeboard or the contour of its hull. And finally, the platform must be easily removed and collapsed into a small space for storage when not in use.
It is an object of my invention to provide an extended stable platform at the waterline adjacent the hull of a boat from which swimmers or scuba divers can enter and return from the water. Even when operating in high seas off the Florida Keys, my platform affords easy access to and from the boat.
It is a further object of my invention to provide an adjustable diving platform at the side of a boat which can be removed and collapsed into a relatively small space for storage.
My dividing platform consists of a series of identical wooden slats mounted on a rectangular frame preferably constructed of anodized aluminum tubing square in cross-section. The platform is approximately 18 inches wide and 36 inches in length. This platform is supported at the waterline by a vertical frame suspended from the deck or gunwale of the boat.
The vertical frame is made principally of metal tubing square in cross-section and includes a horizontal support bar and at least two vertical support bars depending from the horizontal bar. One side of the diving platform is hingedly pinned to the bottom ends of each vertical support bar.
The vertical frame is hung from the boat by a pair of vertically telescoping hangers with crooked upper ends removably pinned to a pair of brackets screwed into the boat's deck or gunwale. By adjustment of these telescoping hangers, the platform can be positioned at or slightly above the waterline as desired regardless of the boat's freeboard.
A pair of multi-strand stainless steel wires extend from the vertical support bars to the front of the diving platform to support the platform in a horizontal plane at or parallel to the waterline.
The two side members of the platform's frame each house of telescoping rod. A further footpad having an outer covering a rubber or other resilient material is pivotably hinged to the outer end of each telescoping rod. By proper adjustment of these telescoping rods, the diving platform is spaced from the hull of the boat and secured in its horizontal plane at or parallel to the waterline. At the same time, the boat's hull is protected from damage by the supporting structure of the diving platform.